Glasgow club celebrates 30 years on the scene
Garage Celebrates 30 years
A GLASGOW nightclub will celebrate its 30th anniversary this weekend with a dusk till dawn party.
First opening back in 1994, the Garage has earned its local title as a Glasgow institution with over three decades of business.
The Sauchiehall Street nightclub has played host to some of the world’s musical greats- with the likes of Prince, Coldplay and Glasgow’s own, Paolo Nutini, all gracing its stages.
But with an increasing demand for variety in the nightlife market and falling numbers of pubgoers over recent years, the Garage remains a resolute adversary to the rest of its Glaswegian competitors.
The Garage’s owner, Donald MacLeod MBE, is the chairman of the Glasgow Licensing Forum and has been a vocal advocate for licensing reform in Scotland.
As a result of MacLeod’s campaigning, The Garage was one of ten Glasgow clubs to be granted the right to open until 4am following a council decision back in September last year.
A “fun boss” according to his team, Marketing and Events Manager Hayley Robinson, said “I think that Donald and the team have always been focused on keeping the venue fun, and accessible for everyone by creating a space that wasn’t afraid to test the boundaries of clubbing which has kept the place from becoming outdated.
“There’s been plenty of challenges over the last few years but the team are all very determined on keeping The Garage alive and are constantly introducing new aspects to keep up with current trends.
“Activity bars are popular at the minute, but when The Garage introduced its bouncy castle, stage games, assault course, and hot tub (to name a few) it was unheard of to have these sorts of things in a nightclub, where students could really let loose and have fun.”
Starting her career in 2016 as a PR handing out flyers for the club, Robinson progressed through the ranks and accredits the nightclub’s success to the commitment of the venue’s hardworking staff and their innovative ideas.
“Since opening The Garage has been constantly changing, the venue was originally relative small but due to the popularity since 1994 it expanded pretty quickly, adding the balcony, and even absorbing the lower venue now known as G2 which was originally a separate nightclub and venue.
“It very quickly became a desirable place to visit and for upcoming bands to play – some of the big names we’ve seen are Lewis Capaldi, Sam Fender, Prince, Biffy Clyro and more,” she said.
A spokesperson for Discovery Music Scotland added that, “Music venues like these are the heartbeat of Glasgow, they are part of the DNA of the city’s culture.
“Without the Garage we wouldn’t have as much home-grown talent as we do and have had over the years.
It brings inspiration to people and helps to shape the ecosystem of our musical heritage.”
